Illustrative image.
Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) said on September 16 that they had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over the central Marib province while the warplane was carrying out operations in support of Saudi-backed government forces.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the fighter jet was brought down by a “locally manufactured” surface-to-air missile while conducting what he described as “hostile operations” over Marib.
“In confronting this aggression against our country and our people, the Yemeni armed forces, with the help and grace of God, succeeded in shooting down a Saudi warplane, an F-15,” Saree said in a statement.
He did not identify the missile used or provide the precise location of the reported crash. The Houthis also did not immediately release visual evidence confirming the downing.
Saree said Saudi warplanes then entered the area to search for the wreckage, prompting a Houthi interception operation against two formations of Saudi F-15s and Eurofighter Typhoons.
“We carried out an interception operation against two Saudi combat formations, F-15s and Typhoons, in the skies of Marib,” Saree said, adding that the warplanes were targeted with locally produced missiles and “forced to retreat.”
The Houthis possess fairly capable air defenses, ranging from man-portable systems to interceptors and medium-range anti-aircraft missiles.
The announcement comes amid an escalation in Yemen following the Houthis’ recent advances along the western coast and toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Saudi warplanes have intensified strikes against Houthi positions as fighting has spread across several provinces.
Saree claimed Saudi warplanes had carried out more than 450 strikes during the week against targets in Taiz, Lahj, al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada and al-Bayda, saying the attacks had caused civilian casualties.
Saudi Arabia is the largest operator of the F-15 outside the United States itself. It operates more than 200 F-15s, including F-15S and F-15SA variants. A new F-15SA is estimated to cost roughly $135 million when associated equipment is included.
In the same statement, Saree said the Houthis would continue defending Yemeni airspace and rejected Saudi accusations that the group’s attacks threaten the Islamic holy sites, saying Houthi operations target Saudi military bases and oil facilities.
The reported shootdown, if confirmed, would represent a significant loss for the Royal Saudi Air Force, which has relied heavily on the F-15 for combat operations over Yemen. It would also highlight the ever-growing military capabilities of the Houthis.
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